PROGRESSIVE JAPAN.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 214, 11 September 1886, Page 4

PROGRESSIVE JAPAN.

Advance in Education and Politics.

Among the late arrivals at Sin Francisco from Japan were W. C. Dc Lino Eaitlako and his mother, who are now at the Occidental, visiting San Francisco on their way east. Mr Eastlake is Secretary of tho Soeioty for tha Advancement of Medical Science in Japan, and a member of tho Asiatic Society, and ha*, during tho three years of his residence in tho Orient, beconio thoroughly acquainted with tho manners and customs of tho people, and not less with tho country, bath in a political and physical »enee. Tho JapauosoKmpiro of tho traveller who haa lived within its borders, and tho Japanese Empire as picturci in tho minis of the American public, are two very different countries. In an interview with a " Chron"iclo reporter, Mr Eastlake portrayed in pleaaing colours the country and its peoplo. Tho people, ho xaid, aro fust advancing in tho civilisation of their political, moral and intellectual lives, and scarcely is without exception aro anxious to roap the benefits of European and American education. In the customs of dro^s there has been a marked chango during the last decade, until now tho officials and the batter classes assume tho English costume. Among the former it is compulsory, and upon tho street the old Japanoee garb is eoldom seen except on tho poorer classes. Among tho ladies, howover, tho loose gowns of tho olden days :wb still r>opuli»r, but oven thoao aro t;raduaUy growing obsolete, and at tho fashionable balls the European dress ia generally assumed, whilo the programmes of tho Japanese orchestras yenorally include tho best of English mueic.

Bangs and White Teeth.

Tho odd yet picturesque style of hair dressing which has so long prevailed in tho country has been superseded by that of tho American women, and tho fair foreheads of the royal ladies aro alroudy hidden by tlie bang bo common in our own country. Tho fashions, however, aro not sot by tho Empress. Tho stylo adopted by thu Ministers' wives ii considered quite tho proper thing, and, following thoir oxamplo, all laiios of culturo havo dropped tho custom of blacking their tooth and shaving thoir oyibrows. " Tho intellectual progroes of tho pcoplo of Japan," eaid Mr Eastlako, "has been a'moflt tiparallelcd. Not only haa the educational eystotn boon o*<tal>li?!)Ocl all ovor tho empire, but tho capital city boasts of n univorsity that can compare favourably with tho best colleges of tho continent. Gorman professors, prominent for cciontitic works and research, have tilled tho chairs in tho scientific and medical departments of the Imperial Unfver&ity, whilo in litora turo, both ancient and modorn, English and American mon of advanced thought have boen cho^on as instructors. Kocontly tho staff of foroign professors has boen diminished and the vacancies filled by Japuio3o literati who havo roturned from study abroad."

A Studious Class.

Tho works of Iluxloy, Sponcor, Darwin's and others havo beon translated into Japanese, aro familiar handbooks to etiideuts in Japan. Tho prcmulgatora of Christianity find that they have a proud scepticism to contond with Tho Japanese talk of tho 'evolution of ppocies ' and tho nebular hypothesis ad glibly as our learned men. Buddhism is still tho predominating fa tv >, but Christianity is rapidly ostubliehing itaolf among the moro intolloctunl classes, although many of tlio high officials oxprc-es extreme bittornces tn tho dootrino and i's introduction. This bittornoes i.-> co groat that tn profes? Christianity means tho lops of an official position. Tho people aro not conservative, however, and it is only a matter of timo when tho Christian faith will bo accepted throughout the country. In all tho large cities public schools aro maintained, and it i-i compulsory that aftor attaining a certain ajio children shall bo Kent to schocl. In Tokio there aro two large law schools, ono of which is conducted in Hio French andthootherinthoEn{:Heh|tanjiuago. Added to the»o i-i an enu'inoorin<; college, with its library of over "20,000 vollimos, ami itsextensivo laboratorio", which hivo beon recently merged with the Imperial College.

Tho Emperor's P.omlses,

"Political aflaira aro not bohind in tho onward march of civilisation, and tho chief excitement ot tho country now is tho preparation for the National An.-ombly promised for ISi.'O. Tho ground U alroady purchased and the AaeetftDly buildings couiinoncod, although there is naturally booio miuapprohonsiOD on tho part of suspicious minds that the Uovernmont may |not carry oat ita promises to tho people. As it now stands, tho Government is in the '.bands of tho Kmperor, assisted by tho Senate and Houac of Lords, which in the Japanese i.i calleil ' (ien-roin.1 Tho Nutionul Assembly will bo composed of representatives elected by tho pcoplo from tho various districts into which tho country i« dovided, tbuti making tho empire a partial republic. Laws rognrding props criticism and public pppuch nro very stringent, ami in noithor is criticism of tho Government allowed. Regarding Japan's relations with America I am ablo to Bjwak at length. My visit to thia country is in tho intoroat of an extension of tho morcan tilo traffic. Tho Unitod States and its peoplo 'are rogardod with great rcspoct by the .fapanose, and in thoir oyes, as tbo " Fiji Slumpo," ono of tho leading journals, expresses it, America stands out in tho world like a blossoming plum branch among a thicket of brambles, diffusing a rich fra-r----anco and compelling the admiration of all for her great namo and vigorous policy."

Trado of tho Island.

" America is Japan's largest customer in a commercial way, whilo on the] other hand none of tho staple products of tho United States, oxcopt keroeeno, find thoir way to Japan. " Tho oxports to Amonca during tho four years ending in ISS-t woro 51,664,872 yen, whilo the imports wero only 10,545,27S yen."Thisn a widodifference, which wohave hope" to overcome, but tho chief tioublo seems to lio in the fact that American goods are not received direct in Japan, but all go through agents and broker*-, who all receive commissions, raising tho prico of HAmoricin goods far beyond thoir value. "Tho railroads of Japan aro constantly being extended, an.l there aro now six companies, embracing about 700 miles of road. These are cquippod with English locomotives, cars and railß, but Germany is making every effort to socuro this trade, and a contract has recently beon awarded to German firms for furnishing tho rails for oight years. You would bo surprised to eoe Amocan street cars rolling along the stroets of Tokio, but fhore aro many of thorn, and these with tiMJlwrtisisha, or Pullman carp, are the principal public conveyances. The latter may be hired for 1"> cents a day, and the street cars carry passongcrs for a moderate charge, ranging frorr 2 to 8 cents, according to the distance travolled."